Automatic shut-off valve for jet-condensers



R. N. EHRHART AND J. A. POWELL. AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR JET CONDENSERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. L 1916, 1,395,265. Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

7 ,6 Y 79" 3 m /5 o :5 44 I 7 26 I ..J- u n 25 23 I WNVENTORS 92;ir Cu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND 'N. EHRHART AND JAMES A. POWELL, OF EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIG-NORS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING GOM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE FOB JET-CONDENSERS.

Specification or Letters Patent,

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Application filed April 1, 1916. Serial No. 88,305.

Valves for J et-Condensers, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to condensers and particularly to that type ordinarily designated as jet condensers, in which the condensing liquid and the fluid to be condensed are intermingled in a condensing chamber.

WVhen such condenser serves an engine or turbine, flooding of the condenser may injure or wreck the apparatus served, due to the fact that water may be drawn into the exhaust and the working passagesof the apparatus. This flooding may result from a number of causes, but it is ordinarily due to an accidental shutting down of the water removal pump, which withdraws the condensing water and water of condensation from the condenser. Where jet condensers are installed with a low lift on the injection or condensing water, or where the water is delivered to the condenser under a slight head, the danger of flooding and of thereby injuring or wrecking the apparatus served by the condenser is great, since the difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the interior of the condenser will continue the flow of water into the condenser, and will not only tend to flood the condenser itself, but will tend to flood the exhaust passages and the apparatus itself served by the condenser. This is ordinarily guarded against by providing the condensers with automatic vacuum breakers, which establish communication between the interior of the condenser and the atmosphere when the water has reached a determined height within the condenser. Such 'a device does not absolutely insure against injury to I the apparatus served by the condenser, since under some conditions the water entering the condenser may acquire considerable inertia and continue to flow into-the condenser after the vacuum has been broken. In addition to this, exceedingly large vacuum breakers would be necessary in installations where the volumetric capacity of the exhaust passages between the apparatus served and the condenser is large, and in some installations it would be impossible to provide a vacuum breaker of suflicient size toprevent flooding and damage to the apparatus.

The present invention has for an object to produce means which will absolutely pre vent damage due to flooding of the apparatus served by a condenser.

A further object is to provide means in connection with a jet condenser for simultaneously breaking the vacuum and shutting off the tiow of water to the condenser.

A further object is to provide means, controlled by the water level within the con denser and which operates to prevent flooding of the condenser by simultaneously breaking the vacuum and shutting off the flow of water to the condenser.

These and other objects which will be made apparent throughout the further description of this invention, are attained by means of the apparatus herein described and illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming a part hereof.

In the drawing we have illustrated, more or less diagrammatically, a sectional View of a jet condenser equipped with mechanism embodying our invention.

Referring to the drawing:

A jet condenser 3 is provided with a port t, which communicates through suitable piping 5 with a turbine, engine or other apparatus served by the condenser. The con-v densing water is delivered to the condenser through a pipe or passage 6, and the spray nozzles '2', which are arranged to break up the flow of water entering the condenser andto deliver it in a mass of separate drops, so that. it will intimately mingle with the fluid entering throughthe port 4. lVater is discharged from the condenser through a discharge port, which communicates with the intake of a pump 8. This pump is ordinarily termed a water removal pump and may be driven by any suitable means.

Under normal operating conditions, the water stands at a determined level within the condenser. This level is, of course, de-

.as a piston When in case the water level rises for any reason, so as to flood the condenser, it is necessary to break the vacuum and discontinue the flow of water into the condenser. This is ordinarily accomplished by means of a float controlled valve, which establishes direct communication between the interior of the condenser and the atmosphere when the float is lifted by the rising water in the condenser. As has been pointed out, it would be practically impossible to provide a valve large enough to break the vacuum and stop the flow of water in some installations. For this reason we have provided means which will positively shut off the flow of water as soon as the vacuum breaker actsv In the drawing the vacuum breaker is located within the interior of the condenser and'includes a valve 9, which is adapted to be lowered from its seat by a float'lO when the float is lifted by water within the condenser. This valve establishes communication between the interior of the condenser and an exterior passage 11 which, as illustrated, communicates through a pipe or passage'12 with a valve chamber 13. The valve chamber, as illustrated, is provided with a reentrant cylindrical flange 14, the outer end of which is open to the atmos phere, whereas the inn-er end is provided with ports 15, which communicate with the chamber 13. A plunger 16 is located within the cylindrical flange and operates therein operates within a cylinder. the plunger 16 is raised or occupies one extreme position, it shuts off communication between the upper opening of the cylindrical flange 14 and the ports 15 and consequently between the said opening and the chamber 13. When the plunger is moved to its other extreme position it uncovers the ports 15 and consequently establishes communication through the upper opening of the cylindrical flange 1 1, between the atmosphere and the chamber 13.

As illustrated, the plunger is adapted to be normally held in its uppermost position by means of a trip lever 17, which is fulcrumed on a suitable bracket and to one end of which the plunger is connected b means of a link 18. The other end of the lever is provided with a ratchet or notch which is adapted to be engaged by a finger on a weighted lever 19 in such a way that the plunger 16 is held in its uppermost position by the lever 17. The lever 19 is mounted on a valvestem 20 of a valve 21. This valve is shown as a butterfly valve and is located within the water delivery passage 6. The valve is so located on the stem 20 that it is in the open position when the lever 19 is held in a raised position by its engagement with the lever 17. As soon as the lever 17 is, disengaged from the lever 19, the weight on the lever 19 drops,

7 aperture the munication with the interior of the condenser. This reduction of pressure occasions a reduction of pressure within the valve chamber 13 and consequently causes the atmospheric pressure on the plunger 16 to preponderate to such an extent that it forces the plunger downwardly. The downward motion of the plunger disengages the lever 17 from the lever 19 and uncovers the ports 15, placing them in communication with the atmosphere. The dropping of the weighted lever 19 closes the valve 21 and the opening of the ports 15 causes air to rush into the condenser through the pipe 12, the passage 11, the valve 9, and through a passage 22, which establishes communication between the interior of the condenser and the port controlled by the valve 9.

As illustrated, the with a restricted aperture 23, which is adapt ed to establish communication between the atmosphere and the passage 11. With this plunger 16 is balanced, while the valve 9 is seated, due to the fact that atmospheric pressure is admitted to both sides of the valve 16. If, however, the valve 9 is not fully closed, due to'inaccurate workmanship or to foreign particles being lodged on its seat, the aperture 23 will prevent the vacuum from being established in the passage 11, since it will allow air to leak into the passage and to maintain the pressure within that passage above that at which the plunger 16 would operate. The aperture 23 is, however, so proportioned as to size that it will not admit suiiicient air to prevent the requisite drop in pressure within the chamber 13 to insure the operation of the plunger 16, when the valve 9 is moved an appreciable distance from its seat.

In the drawings the seat oi the valve 9,

flows into the bottom of the passage 11,

which is provided with a drain pipe 28. The pipe 28 is provided with a check valve 29'so arranged as to permit a flow of water from the passage 11, but to prevent a reverse flow of. either water or air into the 1 passage. By locating the drain at the bottom of the passage ing the water inlet livered to the water seal drains into the passage 22, when the valve 9 is open, there passage 11 is provided 11, and by so positionport 26 that water deis no danger of flooding the passage 12 and of interfering with the operation of the plunger 16.

Having now illustrated and described what we now consider the preferred embodiment of our invention, we desire it to be understood that various changes, modifications, additions and omissions may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth by the appendedsclaims.

What we claim is: V

1. In combination with a jet condenser, means for delivering condensing water to the condenser, a valve for controlling the delivery of water to said means, and a vacuum breaker for controlling the operation of said valve.

2. In combination with a condenser, a passage for delivering condensing water to the condenser, and means, controlled by the water level within rthe condenser, for simultaneously admitting air into the condenser and shutting off the delivery of water to the condenser.

3. In combination in a condenser, a condensing chamber having an inlet for fluid to be condensed and a water discharge port, means for delivering condensing water to said chamber, means for controlling the delivery ot' condensing water through said water delivery means, and a vacuum breaker controlled by the level of water within said chamber for controlling the operation of said controlling means.

4. In combination in a condenser, a con densing chamber provided with a fluid inlet port and a water discharge port, a passage for delivering condensing water to said chamber, a valve for controlling the delivery of water through said passage, and a. vacuum breaker for actuating said valve and comprising a plunger subjected on one side to atmospheric pressure and adapted to establish communication between the atmos phere and a fluid passage, a float-controlled valve for establishing communication between said passage and the condensing chamber and for thereby subjecting the other side of said plunger to a reduction of pressure, a float for actuating said valve, located within the condensing chamber and con-. trolled by variations in the water level within said condenser, a trip mechanism for holding the water delivery valve open, and means actuated by said plunger to release said valve and to thereby close said water delivery passage.

5. In combination in a condenser, a condensing chamber provided with a fluid inlet port and a water discharge port, means for delivering a water spray to the condensing chamber, a water delivery valve for controlling the delivery of water to said means, a trip mechanism for holding said valve in an open position, means for closing said valve when said trip is released, a fluid passage, a plunger, subjected on one side to atmospheric pressure and on the other to the pressure within said fluid passage, for controlling communication between said passage and the atmosphere, a float-controlled valve for controlling communication between said passage and the condensing chamber, a float located within the chamber for controlling the operation of the float-controlled valve, and means connected to said plunger for actuating said trip mechanism, to release said water delivery valve.

6. In combination in a condenser, a condensing chamber provided with a fluid inlet port and a water discharge port, means for delivering a water spray to the condensin chamber, a water delivery valve for contro ling the delivery of water to said means, a trip mechanism for holding said valve in an open position, means for closing said valve when said trip is released, a fluid passage, having a restricted atmospheric aperture communicating therewith, a plunger for actuating said trip mechanism to release said valve and subjected on one side to atmospheric pressure and on the other to the pressure within said passage, ports controlled by said plunger for placing said passage in communication with the atmosphere, and a second valve, controlled by the water level within the condenser, for controlling communication between said passage and the condensing chamber.

7. In combination with a condenser, a passage for delivering cooling water to the condenser, a trip controlled means for shutting off the flow of water through said passage, a trip mechanism for controlling the operation of said means and means for breaking the vacuum in the condenser actuated by condenser pressure for controlling the operation of said mechanism.

8. In combination with a condenser, a passage establishing communication between the interior of the condenser and the atmosphere, operating mechanism responsive to variations in pressure within the said passage, a valve normally closing the said passage, means in the said passage for maintaining a water seal over the valve, a drain sealing means and a valve for the drain permitting the escape of water to the atmosthe delivery of condensing water to the confor discharging water overflowing from the denser, and means for subjecting the said means to condenser pressure, after the water in the condenser reaches a determined level.

10. In combination with a condenser, valve means actuated by condenser pressure for shutting off the delivery of water to the condenser irrespective of the pressure at which the water is delivered to the condenser, and means for controlling the admission of condenser pressure to the said means.

11. In combination with a jet condenser, means for delivering water tothe condenser, a valve for controlling the delivery of water to said means and means subject to the con denser pressure for closing said valve after the water in said determined level.

12. In combination with a jet condenser, means for delivering water to the condenser, a valve for controlling the delivery of water to said means, pressure-controlled means for closing said valve and means for subjecting said pressure-controlled means to condenser pressure, after the Water in said condenser reaches a determined level.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names this 31st day of March,

1916. RAYMOND N. EHRHART. JAMES A. POWELL.

condenser reaches a pre- 

